Manitoba premier apologizes, discloses charter trip to Grey Cup to ethics commissioner
CBC
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew went to the ethics commissioner Monday to disclose that twice he took a Winnipeg Blue Bomber charter to the Grey Cup following a CBC story that looked at whether that trip violated the province's conflict of interest laws.
Kinew apologized, saying that it "didn't even occur" to him to disclose taking the charter in 2023 and 2024 to cheer on the Bombers.
Under the Conflict of Interest Act any non-commercial flight must be approved by the commissioner.
Kinew said because he paid $8,000 out of pocket for four seats on the plane in 2023, he didn't feel he had to clear it with the commissioner.
"When I get tickets to a Jets game and I pay my own way, I don't have to disclose those, so I figured paying my own way to the Grey Cup that I wouldn't have to disclose," he said.
"But I talked to the ethics commissioner this morning, and he said I should, so I did."
These new disclosures of private air travel are now posted on the ethics commissioner's website.
When reporters asked Kinew whether he thought he broke conflict-of-interest laws he didn't answer.
"I just assume that stuff that you pay for you don't have to disclose," he said.
If the travel is required for the performance of the MLA's office, they must disclose the details to the ethics commissioner within 30 days after the trip, and must explain why it was necessary to use a non-commercial flight.
The premier's trip to Hamilton in 2023 on a plane chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers came to light following the disclosure of his staff expenses through freedom of information laws.
It showed his assistant expensed his hotel to the government while his transportation was provided by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
A spokesperson for the Bombers said the charter is organized for fans, sponsors and families.
Kinew told reporters Monday that he paid for his own hotel room when he went to watch the Bombers lose to the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton on Nov. 19, 2023.
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